Cale Diaries, Season Two
by a fan
Summary: Dark Angel season two as recorded in Logan Cale's journal. NEW CHAPTER 5 - A Fairytale
1. Introduction

Title: Cale Diaries, Season Two  
  
Author: A collaboration by a fan, Catherder and Zanna.  
  
Disclaimer: Dark Angel is owned by Charles Eglee, James Cameron, and Fox. We claim no rights to these characters, alas, although we like to play with them.  
  
Feed back: Always welcome! Email one or all of us at afanoda@yahoo.com, catherder@hotmail.com or zanna186@yahoo.ca or just use the handy box below.  
  
Acknowledgement: To our fellow Logan fans for all your encouragement and patience.  
  
Introduction: The goal of the Cale Diaries is to follow the development of Logan's character throughout Dark Angel. Cale Diaries, Season Two will pick up where season 1 left off. It will eventually contain an entry for every season 2 episode. In addition there will be some in fill entries for the days between episodes or the events not shown on screen. Each entry will be dated as closely to the show's timeline as possible given the information available. We'll also be sticking pretty closely to the actual show and not introducing much AU stuff. Be prepared for lots of angst, passion, humour, romance and poetry.  
  
A/N 1: You may have wondered why season 2 of the Cale Diaries has been so long in coming. Well, there's a very good reason. We've spent several weeks this summer working on a virtual season 3 project with several other writers. It's going to be a complete season of 21 episodes to feed our hunger for more Dark Angel. Check it out at http://www.pvtonline.com/ .The first episode premieres on Tuesday, September 10th. Catch it every Tuesday night.  
  
A/N 2: You may have noticed that the Cale Diaries now has three authors. Catherder and Zanna have graciously offered to join me this year. They are amazing writers and I very much appreciate their help. If you like a challenge, try to guess which one of us wrote which chapter. And it is a challenge because it could be any combination of one, two or all three of us.  
  
If you haven't had an opportunity to read their work here are the links to their profiles.  
  
Catherder: http://www.fanfiction.net/profile.php?userid=108540  
  
Zanna: http://www.fanfiction.net/profile.php?userid=68087  
  
  
  
Welcome back to the Cale Diaries. We look forward to your feedback.  
  
a fan  
  
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Cale Diaries, Season 2 entries posted to date (episode references are included in brackets):  
  
Written August 22, 2002  
  
Chapter 2: Wednesday April 29, 2020 - The Edge (Entr'Acte) - by Catherder  
  
Chapter 3: Friday May 8, 2020 - Hamilton (Entr' Acte) - by a fan  
  
Written September 8, 2002  
  
Chapter 4: Wednesday May 13, 2020 -- Safehouse (Entr'Acte) - by a fan  
  
Written September 16, 2002  
  
Chapter 5 - Thursday May 14, 2020 - A fairytale (Entr'Acte) 


	2. Wednesday April 29, 2020 The Edge Entr’...

Disclaimer: Dark Angel is owned by Charles Eglee, James Cameron, and Fox. We claim no rights to these characters, alas, although we like to play with them.  
  
Title: Cale Diaries, Season Two  
  
Author: A collaboration by a fan, Catherder and Zanna.  
  
Reader's challenge: Can you tell which of us wrote which chapter?  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Episode Reference: Entr'Acte  
  
Spoilers: All first and second season episodes  
  
Feed back: Always welcome! Email one or all of us at afanoda@yahoo.com, catherder@hotmail.com or zanna186@yahoo.ca or just use the handy box below.  
  
Acknowledgement: To our fellow Logan fans for all your encouragement and patience.  
  
____________________________________________________  
  
Chapter 2 - Wednesday April 29, 2020 - The Edge (Entr'Acte)  
  
11 pm  
  
I'm back at the Needle, standing at the edge. This was Max's special place. I come here every night, just to be near her. She brought me up here before the raid on Manticore. She threatened to bring me here almost a year ago when I found Hannah for her, even after I told her I was afraid of heights. I thought she was kidding, but she finally did it, pushing and pulling me. I was terrified, but she just laughed at my fear. She said she loved to come up here because from this height, all her problems seemed trivial and she could pretend that she was just a normal girl. That made me laugh. Max, a regular girl!  
  
I try to imagine that my problems are trivial too. But it never works. Too often, I find myself looking over the edge and thinking that the pavement looks mighty inviting. If I take a header off the Needle, I could join Max. It is so tempting. Once, I even took the 9mm with me, figuring that I could finish the job I started after the Vertes fiasco. Talk about overkill, literally.  
  
Funny, this time a year ago, I was fighting to get my life back. Now all I want is to get it over with. But even though she is dead, Max keeps me hanging on. I wish I could have taken her dancing. I've fantasized about dancing with her, how well we'd fit together, how graceful she'd be. Now that I have a way to do that again, I have no dance partner. Life's little ironies keep slapping me in the face. But every time I come close to ending it, I remember a dream I once had of dancing with Max. I hear her voice, as if she were still alive, asking me not to let go.  
  
"Promise?"  
  
"I promise."  
  
It's uncanny. So I step back from the edge.  
  
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A/N: Are you hungry for more Dark Angel? Check out our virtual season 3 at http://www.darkangelvirtuality.com/. The first episode premieres on Tuesday, September 10th. 


	3. Friday May 8, 2020 Hamilton Entr’Acte

Disclaimer: Dark Angel is owned by Charles Eglee, James Cameron, and Fox. We claim no rights to these characters, alas, although we like to play with them.  
  
Title: Cale Diaries, Season Two  
  
Author: A collaboration by a fan, Catherder and Zanna  
  
Reader's challenge: Can you tell which of us wrote which chapter?  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Episode Reference: Entr'Acte  
  
Spoilers: All first and second season episodes  
  
Feed back: Always welcome! Email one or all of us at afanoda@yahoo.com, catherder@hotmail.com or zanna186@yahoo.ca or just use the handy box below.  
  
Acknowledgement: To our fellow Logan fans for all your encouragement and patience. ____________________________________________________  
  
Chapter 3 - Friday May 8, 2020 - Hamilton (Entr'Acte)  
  
Midnight  
  
In a desperate attempt to get away from the edge, I've dragged Bling and myself to the other end of the continent. I'm not sure coming here will change anything, if it will ever lessen the grief I feel. All I know is that there is someone here who is in as much pain as I am. Maybe together we can find a way to survive this.  
  
After a week of climbing the Needle every night, I knew I had to do something. I couldn't go on as I had been, with one foot in the land of the living and the other in the grave. I walked into the apartment that morning to the smell of toast and coffee in the air. Bling had already cooked breakfast, as he had done every day that week. It was never the smell of the food that I noticed, but rather the silence that always hung in the air. That morning was no different.  
  
I watched Bling sitting at the table waiting for me. From a distance, he can appear intimidating, the huge, black guy with the shaved head and earrings. Everything about his appearance screams 'don't mess with me'. But it only takes five minutes in his company to recognize the compassion that radiates from deep within him. He can make anyone feel like the most important person in the world.  
  
He always wants the best for me. He insists that I deserve the best of everything life has to offer. Somehow, despite the mess I had made of my life, I began to believe him and for a brief moment, I had everything he ever wanted for me. Then it all crumbled once again.  
  
"Were you at the Needle again?" Bling asked quietly when I walked into the room.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
That had been the extent of our conversation for the previous three days and that morning was no different. Bling and I had barely exchanged a dozen words that week. How many times can a person say, 'I'm sorry'? Bling knew I couldn't bear to hear it, so he kept quiet. Neither of us wanted to fill the air with useless words. In any case, I didn't need to hear the words to know what he wanted to say. I could see it in his eyes.  
  
"Logan, I'm so sorry. I miss her too. Logan, you can't go on like this. You need to find a way to work through your grief."  
  
It was becoming increasingly difficult to look at those eyes and not have any answers for him. Just toy with your food, rearrange the eggs, butter the toast, stir the coffee. Not that it tasted like anything to me. I don't even know why I bothered to go through the motions of pretending to be alive. God knew I was failing miserably. So I reached out and grasped at one final straw. I dropped my fork and looked up at him.  
  
"I'm going to visit Charlie."  
  
"I'm coming with you," he said simply, but his eyes added, "to the ends of the earth."  
  
In three hours, we were on the road, the last of the Chinese urn money invested in travel docs, and supplies for the road.  
  
It took us a week to drive across Canada. The Canadian highways are in various stages of disrepair, but they are still much safer than the interstates. No one in his right mind would drive the interstates for more than a few miles at a time. Our trip took us through British Columbia, over the Rocky Mountains and across the abandoned wasteland of the Canadian prairies. The bleakness of the prairie scenery reflected the bleakness of my life. Bling drove during the day and I drove at night. I don't sleep at night. The nightmares are too prevalent, waiting to assault me at any moment. So at each sunset, I would take over the wheel and hit the gas, trying to escape the ghosts, racing to find another sunrise.  
  
We pulled into Hamilton at 4 p.m. in the afternoon and drove straight to the address Charlie had left with me. I don't usually ask people, who have been relocated through Eyes Only, to leave me a forwarding address. No need to take a chance that somehow they will be traced through me, but in Charlie's case, I wanted to be able to forward news about Tinga, if and when I received it. It's such a shame that I had to deliver the worst news possible.  
  
We pulled up to a row of rundown apartments. Not a lot of money for upgrades, even in Hamilton, but at least the stairwells and hallways were clean. When I knocked on Charlie's door, we were met by Case's sitter. She had the same rundown appearance as the building, but her inquisitive smile seemed genuine. We began to explain who we were, but she didn't let us finish.  
  
"Won't be home till later. Check the dockyards." She said hurriedly before excusing herself with an apologetic grin and turning back toward the apartment. I could hear Case playing somewhere in the background.  
  
"Shift ends at six," she added as we turned to leave, still completely unfazed at two strange men knocking at her door. Her attitude was completely unexpected and very refreshing. In Seattle, no one ever reveals anything to someone they don't know.  
  
As we headed down the stairs, I could hear Case's spontaneous laughter resonating through the thin walls. I inwardly cringed at the sound, because I knew the news I was bringing would put an end to it. And it did. He took one look at Charlie and me when we walked through the door a few hours later and he knew. He instantly became the oh-too-serious child that I remembered from a few weeks ago, the tragedy in his life once again weighing heavily on his young shoulders.  
  
I soon discovered that Charlie was just as intuitive as his son. I drove us to the waterfront, wondering how I was going to find Charlie among the hundreds of men who were bound to come streaming off the docks when the six o'clock whistle blew.  
  
At 5:30 we pulled over by the main gate. "You okay?" Bling asked when I reached for the door handle.  
  
"Just going to wait outside," I reassured him.  
  
"In that case, I'm going to catch some sleep," he replied, throwing back the seat and shutting his eyes.  
  
I climbed out of the car and leaned against the hood to wait out the thirty minutes until the whistle blew. The waterfront was fenced off as far as I could see, with armed guards posted at the gate. No one got in without valid working papers. This was the first real sign since we entered the city that things weren't business as usual. A few minutes later, I found myself turning up the collar of my jacket to fend off the surprisingly cold gusts of wind that intermittently blasted across the waterfront.  
  
At six o'clock, the men began streaming through the gate, an army of dock workers dressed in their standard uniforms of hardhat, safety boots, gloves, and work jackets. Like me, they had turned up their collars against the harsh wind. I scanned their faces as they walked by, looking for Charlie, trying to find the frightened lost man I once found sitting alone in the dark in my kitchen. But I couldn't find fear in any of their eyes, only weariness and determination. These men were survivors. They were used to dealing with the harshness of life.  
  
In the end, Charlie found me. Out of nowhere, a hand appeared on my shoulder, accompanied by a very surprised, "Logan?"  
  
I turned around to face the man behind me and couldn't help responding in kind.  
  
"Charlie?"  
  
I never would have recognized him. This was a completely different man than the one I remembered. The fear was gone from his eyes, replaced by the same weariness and determination that all the men wore. I also recognized a hint of deep sorrow, and for a moment, a flash of joy at seeing me standing.  
  
"Hang on a sec," he said quickly, then took a moment to say goodbye to his crew. He had only been in Hamilton three weeks, but it was obvious that he had made a place for himself. Some of those men were twice his size, but their mutual respect as they gripped each other's hands in a firm shake was obvious.  
  
"Look at you! You're on your feet!" He grinned as he turned back to me.  
  
"Yeah." I said, managing to force out a smile. "Still got the chair," I added, glancing toward the back of the Aztec. He nodded in understanding, then grasped my hand in the same grip he had just shared with his crew.  
  
"It's great to see you, Logan," he said sincerely, then pulled me into a completely unexpected hug. With that touch, he destroyed my carefully pieced together composure. All I wanted to do was to hold on and let it all out. Instead, I found myself pulling away abruptly.  
  
"What brings you to Hamilton?" he asked quietly, but his eyes told me he already knew.  
  
"Let's walk," I said quickly, taking off along the fence line. We walked for several minutes, fighting the growing wind that whipped at us. I wanted to blurt out the words, but I couldn't do it. I couldn't verbalize the nightmare. Charlie just waited, giving me the time I needed to say what I had come to say.  
  
I started talking about Max, about the barriers we thought we couldn't overcome, about how we finally, miraculously managed to get together, about how it was the best decision I had ever made in my life.  
  
"That's really good, Logan," Charlie said softly, searching my face for what I was still holding back.  
  
After what seemed like an eternity, I finally said the words.  
  
"Max is dead. So is Tinga. I'm so sorry." With those words, the grief that I had managed to hold at bay hit me with all its force. It was stronger than the wind that gusted at us and threatened to blow me into oblivion. I couldn't hold back the tears, I couldn't hold back the sorrow, not for a moment longer. The world was blurred by a haze of tears. I couldn't move, I could hardly breathe. I felt myself falling and reaching out for something or someone to hold onto. And then Charlie was there, holding me up. He wrapped his arms around me once again and held on.  
  
"I know, I know," he said, not bothering to hide the tears that streamed down his cheeks.  
  
Charlie finally released his embrace and led me back to the car. He insisted that we come back to his apartment and I didn't resist. Grief had brought me here and I was desperately hoping to find some solace in the company of someone who understood.  
  
I didn't know that a person could feel so much pain and still survive. Both Max and Tinga are dead, but somehow Charlie and I are alive. We spent hours talking tonight, trying desperately to make some sense of this. But we don't have any answers. All we have is our memories and an uncertain future. I have no idea how we will fill that future.  
  
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A/N: Are you hungry for more Dark Angel? Check out our virtual season 3 at http://www.darkangelvirtuality.com/. The first episode premieres on Tuesday, September 10th. 


	4. Wednesday May 13, 2020 Safehouse Entr’...

Disclaimer: Dark Angel is owned by Charles Eglee, James Cameron, and Fox. We claim no rights to these characters, alas, although we like to play with them.  
  
Title: Cale Diaries, Season Two  
  
Author: A collaboration by a fan, Catherder and Zanna  
  
Reader's challenge: Can you tell which of us wrote which chapter? Congratulations to Kasman, Kyre and Lelu for correctly determining the writers of chapters 2 and 3.  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Episode Reference: Entr'Acte  
  
Spoilers: All first and second season episodes  
  
Feed back: Always welcome! Email one or all of us at afanoda@yahoo.com, catherder@hotmail.com or zanna186@yahoo.ca or just use the handy box below.  
  
Acknowledgement: To our fellow Logan fans for all your encouragement and patience. Thank you for the amazing response to the return of the Cale Diaries. ____________________________________________________  
  
Chapter 4 - Wednesday May 13, 2020 -- Safehouse (Entr'Acte)  
  
3:00 am  
  
I've taken in so many people over the years and put them up in safehouses all over the city. I've even had many people stay in my home. I remember the gratitude they expressed, much like Charlie did a few weeks ago, but I could never quite understand it. I was just doing my job trying to protect them. They were the ones willing to risk their lives to testify against the criminals and corrupt officials who had the means to kill them. I was the one who was grateful to them.  
  
I never had anyone take me in before. Moving in with Jonas and Margo certainly didn't qualify. I never felt welcome there and I certainly never felt safe. But now I know what all those people were talking about. It's an amazing feeling having a safe place to stay for a few days when your life is spinning out of control. Charlie has provided that for me. I never expected him to return the favor and I certainly never expected him to do it in such a personal way.  
  
Since the day he found Bling and me on the waterfront, he has literally wrapped his arms around us and brought us into his family. He insisted that we stay with him. Bling and I have been camping out on his living room floor and he has never once made us feel like we are in the way or a burden.  
  
Charlie and Case are amazingly resilient. They shed a lot of tears on Friday night, but on Monday morning they got right back into their routine, with a mad rush to get ready for school and work.  
  
During the day, Bling and I have the apartment to ourselves, but we've preferred to spend most of our time exploring the city. It's a great feeling to move around freely without running into a sector checkpoint every few miles. We've been scouring the shops and the farmers' markets, looking for anything we can fill Charlie's cupboards with. There isn't much I can do to repay Charlie. The least I can do is fill his cupboards and cook a few meals for him while I'm here.  
  
People here seem to have enough money to eat, but they run into the same distribution problems we have in Seattle. They can have a shortage of something for weeks on end, then in a day be hit with a seemingly endless glut. The local farmers seem to do a reasonable job providing fresh produce. The organic farmers are still going strong. They were sufficiently disconnected from the farming industry that they were the least affected by the Pulse. Unlike the large farming conglomerates of the Midwest, which were devastated when their sources of fertilizers and insecticides dried up along with the economy. Even ten years later, they haven't recovered. Driving across the prairie provinces made that painfully clear to both Bling and me. Now I understand what the dust bowls of the 1930s were like.  
  
We try to get done by 3 p.m. so we can pick up Case at school. His sitter still comes over, but he prefers to play with me, doing 'guy stuff' as he calls it. I can't believe the energy with which he blasts through the door each afternoon. And 'guy stuff', as he defines it, consists mostly of wrestling on the living room floor. He even convinced me to lose the exo because it 'pokes him'. So for an hour and a half each afternoon, we get down to business as the superhero prince fights the big, bad monster man. Of course, he wins every time. He is part X5 after all. And it's wonderful seeing that pure, childlike joy in his eyes. We haven't quite convinced Bling to join us on the floor. He just stands there laughing at us, saying somebody has to pretend to be an adult around here. I say it's his loss. I can't remember when I've laughed so hard.  
  
While we're playing, I sometimes forget that Case learned he lost his mother just a few days ago. But each night, when he asks his dad to tell him Mommy's story, the serious child returns. So Charlie tells him about the magical princess and her brothers and sisters, who escaped the castle and the evil king. They talk about how she got married and had a wonderful husband and a beautiful little boy. And they talk about how she gave up her life so her family could be free. Every night, Case ends the story with the same question.  
  
"Will we live happily ever after, Daddy?"  
  
It breaks my heart when I hear that question. He didn't deserve to lose his mother. No child does. But every night, Charlie reassures him that they will because Tinga wanted them to.  
  
After Case falls asleep, Charlie joins me in the kitchen. We've spent some time getting to know each other, talking about our lives and our work, but mostly we talk about Max and Tinga. I've told Charlie so many things about Max, her sense of humor, her sarcasm, and her intense drive. We talked about the jobs she did for me, and our struggle to find her sibs. I didn't think I would be able to do that, but when we talk about them, it's like they're alive, sitting there beside us.  
  
Charlie poured us a couple of drinks tonight, then dived right in, opening his life up to me.  
  
"Tinga was only seventeen when I met her," he started, staring at his drink." I was ten years older than her. I was never attracted to younger women, but there was a maturity about her beyond her years."  
  
"I know. Max had it too, an old soul." I told him.  
  
"An old soul." Charlie's thoughts drifted back to Tinga. "You're so right. We talked forever that first night. I poured out my heart to her. You know, she tried to tell me about herself then, but I wasn't ready to hear it." Charlie paused for a moment. "How did you find out about Max?" He asked me suddenly.  
  
"The night we met, she jumped out my window and landed on her feet several storeys below. That was a clue, I think." I grinned.  
  
"I know what you mean. When Tinga punched a hole in our wall and pulled out a machine gun, it kinda changed my perspective, too." Charlie chuckled. "The truth is, she was always different. I knew that she was stronger and faster and smarter than I was. It seemed to me that she was holding back, not showing all of her abilities. She could have done anything she wanted to. I couldn't figure out what she was doing working in a bakery, married to me, living our simple life. But she seemed so happy, so I never asked her." He paused. "You should have seen the sparkle in her eyes when she played with Case. She was just so happy."  
  
"You gave her a wonderful gift," I told him. "With you, she found what she thought she could never have. She found love with you."  
  
"And I found it with her." Charlie fell into a long silence as his gaze fell back onto his drink. When he looked up, he regarded me thoughtfully, almost like he was seeing me for the first time.  
  
"How did you get injured?" he asked quietly.  
  
I never had to explain my injury to anyone before. The few who cared knew about it from the beginning, and the ones who didn't, well, they couldn't have cared less.  
  
"It happened about a year ago, a few days after I met Max. I was shot." I began tentatively, then paused for a moment, thinking about what I had been like back then. For the first time in a long time, I allowed myself to talk. As I relived those days, the words just poured out of me.  
  
"I think I was the main reason we didn't get together sooner. I was so cocky then. There was something special about her that attracted me right away, but I was going to control our relationship. We were going to get together on my terms. It didn't matter that she took my bodyguard out with one hand. She was a girl and I could manipulate her, no problem. I even prepared a romantic candlelight dinner for her, thinking I could charm her into working with me and maybe doing a little dating on the side." I admitted  
  
"You did that?" Charlie chuckled at the idea of anyone charming Max or Tinga into doing anything.  
  
'Yeah." I couldn't help smiling sheepishly.  
  
"After the shooting, everything changed," I continued. "I didn't have control of anything, not Max, not my life, not my body. I didn't know who or what I was anymore. I didn't know how people would look at me, whether they would ever see me again or just another cripple. I couldn't even think about a relationship. I just needed a friend, someone who could see past the chair I was in. Max did that for me. She always treated me as a whole person. I lived for the times she would come over and play chess or just raid my fridge.  
  
"I always loved her, but I wouldn't let myself think about it because my insecurities just kept coming back. I struggled with them this whole year, but I couldn't seem to beat them. I hurt her so many times, but she somehow sensed that I loved her, even before I was willing to admit it to myself, and she kept coming back to me. I was always so afraid of what would happen if I showed my love for her. I never considered what would happen if I didn't. I almost missed my chance with her. If I hadn't seen you and Tinga together and heard what you said, I probably wouldn't have had the courage to reach out to her. In the end, I never got the opportunity to tell her I loved her, but I think she knew."  
  
"She did. I saw it in her eyes." Charlie reassured me "She loved you, too."  
  
"Thanks. I know." I told him, "Max hadn't been able to say it either, but she showed me in so many ways." When I said those words, I realized I had known all along. That knowledge was locked safely in the deepest part of me, the part my fear hadn't been able to erase. It's what had kept me going. "Despite her childhood, she had an enormous capacity for love."  
  
"Tinga was the same way. I didn't know why then, but it was obvious that our family and our love was the most precious thing to her." Charlie smiled back at me.  
  
"You know, I took Max to my cousin's wedding a few months ago." I grinned, thinking about everything that happened that day. "She was so cynical on the way there, calling weddings a public humiliation. She even said she could fence the wedding ring for ten thousand dollars." That one cracked Charlie up.  
  
"Then when Bennett and Marianne were saying their vows, I caught her crying. She was always such a contradiction." I told him. "She was so beautiful she took my breath away."  
  
I can't help smiling when I think about that day. I can still see her perfectly, walking toward me in that spectacular red dress, with that mischievous smile playing on her face.  
  
God, she was beautiful that day.  
  
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A/N: Are you hungry for more Dark Angel? Check out our virtual season 3 at http://www.pvtonline.com/ .The first episode premieres this Tuesday, September 10th. 


	5. Thursday May 14, 2020 A Fairytale Entr'...

Disclaimer: Dark Angel is owned by Charles Eglee, James Cameron, and Fox. We claim no rights to these characters, alas, although we like to play with them.  
  
Title: Cale Diaries, Season Two  
  
Author: A collaboration by a fan, Catherder and Zanna  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Episode Reference: Entr'Acte  
  
Spoilers: All first and second season episodes  
  
Feed back: Always welcome! Email one or all of us at afanoda@yahoo.com, catherder@hotmail.com or zanna186@yahoo.ca or just use the handy box below.  
  
Acknowledgement: To our fellow Logan fans for all your encouragement and patience. Thank you for the amazing response to the return of the Cale Diaries.  
  
____________________________________________________  
  
Chapter 5 - Thursday May 14, 2020 - A fairytale (Entr'Acte)  
  
Once upon a time, there was a lonely man who lived in a tall tower that overlooked a poor, tired city. Many wicked wizards had overrun his city and threatened to destroy his people. So the man worked hard in his tower to protect his people. The man had good friends that he worked with, but they had little time to play for they were always on guard against the wizards. The man found much joy in his work, but still he longed for a beautiful woman to share his life.  
  
One day, a magical princess fell from the sky into his tower. She was the most beautiful, impish creature he had ever seen. The princess and her brothers and sisters had run away from the castle where they had been raised by their father, the evil king. Sadly, on the day they ran away, the princess had become separated from her brothers and sisters, and she had spent many years trying to find them. The man hoped the princess would help him in his work and in return, he offered to help her find her brothers and sisters. But the princess was too frightened to work with the man, so he continued to fight his battles alone.  
  
One day, the man and his friends were attacked by a wicked wizard. The man's friends were killed and the man himself received terrible wounds. Then just as the wicked wizard was about to kill him, the princess rescued the man. With compassion in her heart, the princess agreed to help the man, for his wounds were such that he could no longer do his work by himself.  
  
They fought many battles together and defeated many wicked wizards. And to the princess' joy, they began to find her brothers and sisters. The princess was very kind to the man and he grew to love her company. She would visit him in his tower and play with him in her teasing way. She even tried to use her magical powers to heal his wounds. But alas, it was not to be, and once again the man's heart was filled with sorrow. Yet even in his darkest hour, the princess was there for him. Each day that she worked with him, the princess grew more beautiful in his eyes. His love for her grew, but his wounds were so deep that he feared she could not love him. So the man was content to work with her at his side.  
  
After many months, the man's heart began to heal, and his sorrow was replaced by an even greater love for his princess. And so the man decided to face his fear and tell his princess what was in his heart.  
  
One evening, she came to him, sharing her sorrow about what they had done to her at the castle. He wanted to comfort her and tell her how much he loved her. But once again, his own weakness overpowered him and he fell in front of her. He despaired of ever being strong for her, but she told him his wounds did not matter to her. It was then that she gave him her heart in a single magical kiss.  
  
Sadly, they did not know that it was the last kiss they would ever share. That same night, they embarked on the most difficult and dangerous battle they were yet to fight. One of the princess's sisters was captured by the king and returned to the castle. The princess loved her sister very much, so with the help of the man and her other brothers and sisters, she set out to rescue her sister. To their horror, they learned that an evil queen had overrun the castle and killed their sister. In their grief, the princess and her brothers and sisters decided they must destroy the castle once and for all. Even their father, the evil king, repented of his sins and joined them in the battle, for he never wanted his children to be killed.  
  
The battle was fierce and the castle was partially destroyed. Tragically, one of the princess' brothers was captured and the princess herself received a mortal wound. The man held her and wept while she died in his arms.  
  
For many days, the man lived in despair. He was afraid to think about his princess. He was even afraid to remember her. He was afraid that his grief was so strong that he would die too. But then he started to remember. He remembered how beautiful she was when she smiled at him. He remembered her mischievous nature. He remembered the joy she brought into his life. And most of all, he remembered her courage. He remembered the love she had for her brothers and sisters, and her willingness to sacrifice her own life for their freedom.  
  
And so the man knew what he must do. He would continue to fight her battle. He would destroy the castle and set her brothers and sisters free. He knew that no matter how long it took him, he would succeed. He knew he would be strengthened, for she was always with him. To him, she was never dead.  
  
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A/N: Are you hungry for more Dark Angel? Check out our virtual season 3 at http://www.pvtonline.com/ .The episode 2 airs Tuesday, September 17th. 


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